What is the origin of the salmonella outbreak caused by chocolate in many countries?

Recently, salmonella outbreaks related to chocolate products produced in Belgium have occurred in many European and American countries. These chocolates have been sold to at least 113 countries and regions, including China.

The affected products were identified as Kinder chocolate range produced at the Ferrero Corporate factory in Belgium in December 2021 and January 2022.

The World Health Organization issued a bulletin on April 27, stating that as of April 25, 11 countries had reported 151 gene-related cases suspected to be related to the consumption of chocolate products. Many cases showed symptoms of bloody diarrhea, but there were no deaths related to the outbreak.

What is salmonella? What are the symptoms of salmonellosis? How to prevent it? NetEase Health "Health Focus" will take you to find out.

What is the origin of Salmonella?

Salmonella is a common foodborne pathogen. Some Salmonella species are pathogenic to humans, some are pathogenic to animals, and some are pathogenic to both humans and animals.

Salmonellosis refers to illness caused by various types of Salmonella. Although approximately 2,500 serotypes have been identified, most human infections are caused by two serotypes: Typhimurium and Enteritidis.

If a person gets salmonellosis, are the symptoms serious?

Salmonellosis is characterized by acute onset of fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which may be bloody as reported in most cases of the current outbreak. Symptoms usually appear 6-72 hours after ingestion of food contaminated with Salmonella, and illness lasts 2-7 days.

Generally, symptoms of salmonellosis are relatively mild, and in most cases patients recover without specific treatment. However, in some special cases, especially in children and elderly patients, the risk of serious complications related to dehydration is greater and can be life-threatening. To date, most cases of chocolate-related salmonellosis have occurred in children under 10 years of age, which may be due to the chocolate products involved being targeted to children.

How to prevent Salmonella infection?

Salmonella is widely distributed in livestock and wild animals such as poultry, pigs, and cattle. Pets include cats, dogs, birds, and reptiles such as turtles. Human salmonellosis is usually caused by eating contaminated animal-derived foods (mainly eggs, meat, poultry, and milk), and can also be transmitted from person to person through the fecal-oral route.

WHO says preventing salmonellosis requires control measures at all stages of the food chain, from agricultural production to food processing, manufacturing and preparation in commercial establishments and households.

General preventive measures also include:

Wash your hands with soap, especially after contact with pets or farm animals or after using the toilet;

· Ensure food is cooked thoroughly;

Drink only pasteurized or boiled milk;

Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.

References:

https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2022-DON369